1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers and container labels, and more particularly, to containers and container labels which can be conveniently modified to provide simple and effective ways for users to visually personalize, distinguish, mark or communicate information via the containers themselves, or their associated labels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical construction and labeling of containers does not provide means for visually communicating unique or identifying information. Users of a container often have the need to visually distinguish their container from another of the same brand and name, for example, to prevent accidental consumption of a beverage by someone other than the user of a container, or to indicate the owner of a container to avoid misidentification; to record information regarding the contents of the container, for example date of purchase, date container was first opened, volume of the container's contents consumed or remaining, amount of solute or solvent in the container; and to effect other visual signals, for example to indicate to a bar tender or server that the container is empty or near empty and another full container having the same contents is desired.
Traditional means used to visually personalize, distinguish, mark or communicate information via a container or its associated label involve the permanent physical marking or destruction of the container label. This way of communicating is both inconvenient and inconsistent, as a device for marking the container is required and uniformity of marking location is non-existent. Alternate means, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,144 to Groth and U.S. Design Patent No. 412,938 to Kesselring et al., require the affixation of an identification tag to the container. Such traditional marking means are typically expensive and do not permit convenient customization by the end user.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a method and apparatus for effecting easy visual communication by modifying the appearance of a container or container label.